After that, Ajisai reached for the bottle of soy sauce, poured a little over the chicken, and began to eat. Her movements were smooth, deliberate, and almost ritualistic—enjoying lunch with complete, calm awareness.
The brief silence was broken only by the sound of a breeze from the entrance, carrying the aroma of the food outside, as if to inform those outside that this small inn served simple dishes whose taste would not be easily forgotten.
After a hearty meal, they finally took a break to chat. After a few minutes, they immediately went up to the third floor together, leaving the dining table on the first floor of the inn.
Their steps creaked softly up the wooden stairs, echoing faintly through the dim hallway, illuminated only by the dim light of the hanging lanterns.
The night air seeped through the gaps in the windows, carrying the salty, slightly damp scent of the sea, as if accompanying them to the silence of their respective rooms.
Aoki and Tetsu entered their rooms, which were the men's, while Mei and Ajisai also entered their rooms, which were the women's.
The wooden doors creaked as they opened, adding a rustic and rustic feel to the old inn that had long stood on the edge of the pier.
The sky outside was clear, a vast expanse of bright blue, and only the occasional sound of seabirds flying across the midday sky could be heard.
Aoki then walked to the bed closest to the wall and the entrance. His eyes looked a little heavy, his body half dragging his feet due to fullness and drowsiness.
Aoki flopped onto the bed with a tired sigh, staring up at the dull, time-worn wooden ceiling.
Meanwhile, Tetsu chose the bed by the window. Tetsu stretched, opening the window slightly, letting the warm sea air seep into the room, and then looked outside.
The sound of the waves sounded like a whisper, soothing, lulling his mind as it began to drift off to sleep.
Meanwhile, Mei and Ajisai entered their room, with Mei taking the bed by the window.
The thin curtains swayed gently in the sea breeze, and the sunlight streaming in from the window cast their shadows dancing on the wall.
A minute later, Ajisai chose the bed closest to the wall and the entrance. Then, sitting quietly on the edge of the bed, Ajisai surveyed her simple but clean room and took a deep breath, as if trying to commit the serene atmosphere to memory.
...
...
...
They rested for a few hours, until nightfall, when Aoki woke up and looked out the window at the night sky.
Stars scattered across the dark sky like jewels cast on a black cloth. The cool air hit Aoki's face as he approached the window, making his hair flutter slightly.
He gazed at the crescent moon hanging in the sky, partially obscured by thin clouds that slowly passed by.
Aoki then walked over to Tetsu, who immediately woke him up. He patted Tetsu's shoulder twice, gently but firmly, with a soft whisper that was enough to wake him up.
"Um... Huaa... What's wrong, boss?" Tetsu asked, his face confused. His voice was heavy and hoarse from just waking up, his left eye still half-closed, while his right hand lazily rubbed it.
"It's late, let's have dinner, I'm hungry." Aoki said with a faint smile. His stomach was already grumbling, and that smile hid a pressing hunger, like a subtle urge that couldn't be ignored.
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